1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron-emitting device, an electron-emitting apparatus using the electron-emitting device, an electron source in which a plurality of the electron-emitting devices are arranged, and an image-forming apparatus constructed using the electron source.
2. Related Background Art
There have been conventionally known two types of electron-emitting devices: thermionic cathode electron-emitting devices and cold cathode electron-emitting devices. The cold cathode electron-emitting devices include, in the category thereof, devices of electric field emitting type (hereinafter referred to as the “FE” type), devices of metal/insulating layer/metal type (hereinafter referred to as the “MIM” type), and surface conduction electron-emitting devices. The FE type electron-emitting devices include devices of diode type that extract electrons using anode electrodes and devices of edge emitter type that emit electrons from edge portions of emitters.
As the diode type electron-emitting devices, there has been known an device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,903.
As the edge emitter type electron-emitting devices, there have been known devices disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-289650 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-298068.